<p>Just curious, because my mom (who doesn't pressure me) just slightly hinted that I should, perhaps, be wise and start preparing for the SAT.</p>
<p>Problem: I just finished freshman year, and as you need to take SAT before college applications (as far as I know), not having even taken the PSAT yet, I see absolutely no reason why I should start even remotely preparing until like the end of junior year. I don't know anything about SAT other than it's 3 sections and it's cumulative score is 2400. </p>
<p>So like, what grade did you guys take it (or are planning to take it)?</p>
<p>What would you say that's just about the right time to prepare/take?</p>
<p>I ask this because personally I see no purpose in preparing right now when I'm a rising sophomore, as I will relax and do other stuff like games this summer instead of preparing for SAT's that I can take in like 2 years or something..
I probably won't even worry about SAT's until the end of junior year, but w/e.</p>
<p>Just interested/curious in hearing some opinions, not that I'm asking for any persuasion but opinion.</p>
<p>Okay, since you just finished freshman year, you definitely should not be worrying about the SAT. Go out and have fun! It's summer! But I do understand where your mom's coming from. I think that she just wants you to be aware that eventually, you will have to take the SAT (unless you don't; some schools don't require the SAT, or you could take the ACT and forget the SAT), and she doesn't want you to be all stressed after junior year. </p>
<p>The thing is, it's better to start preparing (I use the word prepare instead of study; it's less stressful that way) too early than too late. I didn't take the SAT until March of junior year. I recommend that you take the SAT twice: once during the spring of junior year, and if you want to retake it, then retake it during the fall of senior year.</p>
<p>It also kind of depends on how you'd do without any preparation at all. I recommend that you take a practice test some time when you're a sophomore (recommend near the end of sophomore year), just to see where you are at the moment, and so you can gauge how much preparation you might need. Then you can examine your weaknesses and spend a few hours of your summer trying to fix them, as preparation for the PSAT. Then, after you take the PSAT, you can use that as a practice test to see what you need to work on, and keep working on it until fall of senior year.</p>
<p>I took the June SAT (and ACT, for that matter) my sophomore year. I'd rather get a head start and have plenty of chances to improve than be scurrying around to get a good score in crunch time. If I were you, I would at least take the SAT junior year, if not earlier.</p>
<p>Study after your Sophmore year is done. Taking the SAT in senior year can have a lot of pressure because you'll be putting all the weight on one test. Take it in Junior year (twice) so you can take it during senior year a 3rd time if you have to.
**
Take the ACT everytime from now on whenever it's available. I'm not kidding. Talk to your mom about this. You can take 20 ACTs and score well on one of them, and send that one score report, and colleges wouldn't know you took 20, they would just see that one report. If you get yourself very familiar with it and take it many times, eventually you'll get good enough to score a 32, which will keep you from having to take the SAT. Don't look as the ACT as something that makes you wake up early on a Saturday morning that you have to take. Taking it during Sophmore year can really get you prepared for it. You don't want to take the SAT more than 3 times, but you can take the ACT as many times as you want because colleges can see how many times you took the SAT, but not the ACT. Each time you take it, you'll get better at it, and you'll be set once you get that 32. Don't be like most of us and take it 1-3 times in Junior and Senior year. **</p>
<p>It was recently reported that, for the class of 2010 and on, you only have to report your highest SAT score.</p>
<p>"The College Board, which owns the test, made the change at a time when some universities are placing less emphasis on standardized testing in choosing prospective freshmen, and as the rival ACT exam is gaining popularity. The new SAT scoring option, approved Thursday by the College Board's trustees, mimics the ACT's long-standing policy." --- Chicago Tribune</p>
<p>If I were you, I'd take the SAT sophomore year to get a benchmark, and see where you stand, and then take it again junior year, and possibly again senior year.</p>
<p>Hey, dchow08! You remember me? You used to help me with my SAT essays. Now that we are both all done with SAT's, and finally heading to our colleges in the fall. And congrats on Swarthmore acceptance!</p>
<p>I'd say the only thing you should worry about "prepping" for might be the CR/Writing section, and by prepping, I just mean making sure you read a lot between now and junior/senior year. You'll slowly pick up vocab words along the way, and probably will improve your writing skills from reading other authors' works.</p>
<p>Eh, in regards to paying to take standardized tests, I think it's well worth it to spend a couple hundred bucks to get a good score and save thousands by getting a scholarship later on.</p>
<p>Start preparing at the end of your sophomore year. If you end up preparing after your junior year then you only have like four months to prepare and take the SATs because apps are typically due in December.</p>
<p>I'll most likely apply financial aid. Plus, I really don't have the money to spend the so casual "couple hundred bucks" on ONE test...</p>
<p>Even if I did, I wouldn't, I personally think it's a waste of money to take tests many times, and I probably will only take it once (maybe twice if I utterly fail).</p>
<p>As for suggestions, thanks! I'll probably consider the very end of sophomore year, although I'm leaning towards preparing in mid-junior year...</p>
<p>I was thinking more along the lines of a couple hundred bucks total - to take both the SAT and ACT twice, basically. I see it as an investment into my future, where I can save money by getting a good scholarship.</p>